Shards of Sin GM Resources

Shards of Sin is part 2 of 6 of the Shattered Star Adventure Path; that book is necessary
to run the adventure but Pathfinder Fate Accelerated write ups are provided for
the various opponents and challenges faced therein. Use the linked
to documents as relevant to the published adventure.

Part 1: A Game Afoot In Magnimar

When the adventurers show up at the Pathfinder Society's lodge at the Heidmarch
estate, they have begun part 1 of the Shards of Sin.

Where in Golarion

The quest kicks off at Heidmarch Manor, which is located in the Alabaster District
of Magnimar, the City of Monuments. It serves as the only Pathfinder Lodge in Varisia,
led by the Venture-Captain Lady Sheila Heidmarch.

Overview Map

Alabaster District Map

Heidmarch Manor Map

What's in the box?

Good At:Summoning 2 Pugwampis. Difficulty to detect prior to triggering is Fantastic (+6). To Roguishly Disarm is a Epic (+7) challenge

Bad At:Difficulty to detect or disarm while being Carefully Arcane is only Superb (+5)

Summon Monster Trap: the puzzle box is trapped with a Summon Monster spell. It is
intended for the trap to go off to allow the Pugwampi's to run rampage providing
comic relief. However, the adventurers can potentially circumvent that outcome.

Lead 1

Good At:Eliciting Coinage For Information. Difficulty to Roguishly get basic info is a Average (+1) challenge. The difficulty to get information about Natalya is a Great (+4) challenge. The difficulty to coerce any sensitive information related to Sczarni gangs other than the Tower Girls (who are on the outs) is a Fantastic (+6) challenge and might result in later Sczarni reprisals.

PC's can just buy their way past this challenge for about a 100 gp if they prefer. Switching to a conflict brings in sufficient Sczarni thugs to fend off the adventurers.

Bad At:One On One (-2), Being On The Other Side Of The Tracks (-2), Long-Term Planning (-2)

Hits:[1][1]

Up to five (5) will fight as a mob, adding two (2) hit boxes per Varisian. +1 when attacking and defending for every three (3) Varisian remaining in the mob.

The Scazarni thugs don't get involved if Zograthy is just intimidated once or twice;
tough talk is part of the negotiation process sometimes. But if it is excessive
or the old man is assaulted they get involved.

Plutivarch will concede if he takes a Moderate Consequence. The best possible outcome
of the encounter is for the PC's to capture him and take him to the Arvensoar to
turn into the Watch, which will give them a foot in the door.

Defeating Plutivarch before he expends all of his potions can be a real boon for
the adventurers, as those potions will come in handy in later more difficult encounters.

Good At:Being A Watch-Lieutenant (+4); Kasadei is an experienced cop; attempts to use Roguish of +3 or better to get information sets off her 'cop-radar' and makes her suspicious / wary.

Bad At:Refusing To Help Citizens In Need (-2)

Stress[1][2][3]

Mild (2)

Moderate (4)

Severe (6)

Attacking or coercing a Watch-Lieutenant in an office in their own HQ is 'bold' but not 'smart'. If the adventurers attempt to do this, they will almost certainly have a swarm of Watch members upon them within a few exchanges. Also, they would have to figure out how to get out of the heavily guarded and massive Arvensoar tower they happen to be in.

Getting information about Natalya isn't very difficult if the adventurers mention
they are working for Sheila Heidmarch or that they are Pathfinder Society agents,
in which case getting information about Natalya does not require a challenge. Otherwise
the difficulty to Carefully or Cleverly get the information is a Great (+4) challenge.

When the adventurers get information about Natalya, the Tower Girls are mentioned
in passing. Finding out more is another challenge as it gets into details about
the organized gangs of Magnimar, which the Watch is not eager to discuss.

Difficulty to Carefully or Cleverly get information about the Tower Girls is Great
(+4)

If asked about the recent disapperances Kasadei will initially give the pat 'official
answer'.

To Carefully or Cleverly get the REAL information about the recent disappearances
is a Great (+4) challenge.

Kasadei does not agree with the official line that the case has been closed, and
particularly persuasive adventurers can get her to trust them enough to share her
personal view on the matter. To Carefully or Cleverly find out why the investigation
is closed is a Fantastic (+6) challenge.

The Arvensoar

This is an entirely social encounter with a series of possible challenges. Adventurers
who play this well can earn a valuable contact in the Watch hierarchy (Kasadei),
but those who manage to piss off the Watch will certainly earn themselves future
difficulties with law enforcement at the very least.

Clever or Careful resolution is called for in this situation. Focused is a good
neutral Archetype to safely navigate these challenges, relying on natural charisma
and likeability.

Unlike most social encounters using too much Roguish (+3 or higher) is ill advised
past a certain point as many experienced cops are intuitively suspicious of people
that are too far over on the Roguish spectrum.

Similarly, attempts to be Forceful don't generally go over well with cops. Being
Sneaky can work to a point, but getting caught can quickly escalate into a bad place;
sneaking around the Watch headquarters or trying to trick a member of the Watch
and getting caught is a sure fire way to gain the wrong kind of attention.

Flashy is hit or miss; up all difficulties by +1 for a character using Flashy, but
if they succeed they get a better outcome than a Clever or Careful resolution.

Most of the Watch members are Combatives based, and a Combative character can find
common ground with some of the Watch across this vector if they try, especially
if they have an applicable Aspect or Stunt.

Depending on their patron a Divine character might get better or worse results with
the Watch. Exponents of Abadar, and Iomedae or one of the Empyreal Lords worshipped
in Magnimar in particular might get preferential treatment.

Fenster will concede rather than take a Severe consequence, and give the adventurers
all the information he knows. But with a little patience the adventurers can just
navigate the encounter as written in the module and buy their way past this challenge
to get the information they want.

Other District Maps

It is recommended that you get the Shattered Star Map Folio, which contains a nice
fold out map of Magnimar. However, for convenience as the adventurers move around
the city, the various district mini maps might come in handy.

Underbridge Zoomed In

A finer scale version of Underbridge.

Ordelia

It is unlikely that the adventurers will need to go to Ordelia in this adventure,
but just in case...